Magnetically Held Spoon or Scooper on A Lid of a Container and Method

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus employing at least two magnets one on a top surface of a lid and one on the bottom surface of the lid to secure the magnet on the bottom surface of the lid to the bottom surface of the lid and to provide magnetic fastening means for the measuring spoon or scooper inside the container. This facilitates the ability to store and acquire the scooper from inside the container without the need for reaching into and touching the contents of the container thus avoiding making physical contact with the contents. An additional feature is securing a handle to forming a handle with the magnet located on the top outside surface of the lid so that the handle can be centrally located on the lid.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a measuring spoon or scooper secured orheld on a lid of a container and method for the same. In particular, thepresent invention relates to a magnetically held measuring spoon orscooper on a lid of a container.

2. The Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,900 to Wegner discloses a canister for food with ascooper and a spring is provided and affixed to the inner side of thelid to secure the scooper. U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,844 to Lin relates to amagnetic attractable spoon having a tie ring that has a hole. A spoon iscombined to the hole of the tie ring, and at least one magnet installedto the tie ring for attracting metal objects. The tie ring is elastic.The tie ring has at least one embedding groove for embedding the magnet.The magnet is enclosed within the tie ring. A plurality of magnets isannularly arranged along an edge of the tie ring. The tie ring iscombined to an annular body of the tie ring and the tie ring has anannular attracting surface. The hole of the tie ring is not apenetrating hole. The tie ring has a plane attracting surface or acambered attracting surface.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides for a magnetically held measuring spoonor scooper on a lid of a container and a method for the same. Thepresent invention provides for a method and an apparatus employing atleast two magnets one on a top surface of a lid and one on the bottomsurface of the lid to secure the magnet on the bottom surface of the lidto the bottom surface of the lid and to provide magnetic fastening meansfor the measuring spoon or scooper inside the container. Thisfacilitates the ability to store and acquire the scooper from inside thecontainer without the need for reaching into and touching the contentsof the container thus avoiding making physical contact with thecontents. An additional feature is securing a handle to forming a handlewith the magnet located on the top, outside surface of the lid so thatthe handle can be centrally located on the lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that shows thescooper magnetically attached to the bottom magnet which in turn ismagnetically attached to the top magnet that is formed as a handle isfully assembled;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded partial view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of thepresent invention without the lid; and

FIG. 3 shows an exploded full view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of thepresent invention with the lid in place; and

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention with the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates asectional view of an embodiment of the present invention showing ascooper 5 magnetically attached to a bottom magnet or magnets 6 which inturn is magnetically attached to the top magnet or magnets 8 that isformed as a handle 9. The top and bottom magnets 8, 6 together form amagnetic holding mechanism 11. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view,without the lid 7 of the container 10 (see FIG. 4), showing the handleand top magnet or magnets 8 that will be located above the lid 7. As canbe seen the magnets 6, 8 on both ends of this embodiment are aligned ontop and bottom. As shown in FIG. 3 a lid 7 can be placed between the topmagnet(s) 8/handle 9 structure and the bottom magnet(s) 6 aremagnetically attached to the lid 7 and magnetically hold the scooper 5as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The scooper 5 can be placed and held underthe lower magnetic portion 8 of the magnetic device 11.

The magnets used are preferably neodymium magnets as this would bemagnetically powerful enough to hold the magnets together on oppositesides of the lid on the container and also magnetically secure thescooper or spoon 5 to the magnet or magnets 6 on the underside of thelid 7. The size of the scooper 5 can vary in size from a 1 tsp(teaspoon) size to possibly 1⅔ cup size so that the present inventioncan be used for small containers products 10 such as but not limited tocoffee and different powder containers e.g. ice tea, KOOLAID®, etc. andfor large containers 10 which can be mixed quite large and require alarger scooper or spoon 5.

The magnet or magnets 8 on the top side of the lid 7 could beinterchangeable. For example, one could be shaped like a barbell forprotein shake mixes and other shapes for coffee containers, etc. (see4). These top magnets can be decorative.

1. (canceled)
 2. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said atleast one magnet located and affixed to said top surface of said lid isone magnet
 3. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said atleast one magnet located and affixed to said bottom surface of said lidis one magnet
 4. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said atleast one magnet located and affixed to said top surface of said lid isat least two magnets.
 5. The combination according to claim 11 whereinsaid at least one magnet located and affixed to said bottom surface ofsaid lid is at least two magnets.
 6. The combination according to claim11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said topsurface is formed as handle for said lid and be located centrally onsaid top surface of said lid.
 7. The combination according to claim 11wherein said at least one magnet on said top surface of said lid andsaid at least one magnet on said bottom surface of lid are neodymiummagnets.
 8. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said magnetformed handle on said top surface of said lid is shaped to represent asymbol for a content of said container.
 9. The combination according toclaim 11 wherein said magnet formed handle is shaped as barbell and saidcontent of said container is a protein shake mix.
 10. A method forsecuring a spoon or a scooper to a lid of a container, the stepscomprising: locating and affixing at least one magnet to a top surfaceof a lid of a container adapted to fit and seal a top surface of thecontainer that is located outside of said container when said lid isaffixed to said container said at least one magnet located on said topsurface and being formed as handle for said lid and being located onsaid top surface of said lid; locating at least one magnet secured to abottom surface of said lid that is located inside of said container whensaid lid is affixed to said container; magnetically securing a scooperor a spoon with said at least one magnet secured just below said bottomsurface of said lid so as to removably magnetically affixed said scooperor spoon just below an said inside surface of said lid when said lid isaffixed to said container, magnetically aligning said magnets above andbelow said lid with each other to magnetically attract and keep saidspoon affixed to said handle and said lid.
 11. In combination, a lid ofa container, a spoon or a scooper and at least two magnets for securinga spoon or a scooper to a lid of a container, comprising: said lid ofsaid container being adapted to cover and to fit over and seal a topsurface of said container; at least one of said at least two magnetslocated on a top surface of said lid that is located outside of saidcontainer when said lid is affixed to said container; said at least onemagnet located on said top surface and being formed as handle for saidlid and being located on said top surface of said lid; and at leastanother one of said at least two magnets located on a bottom surface ofsaid lid that is located inside of said container when said lid isaffixed to said container; said bottom magnet magnetically securing saidscooper or said spoon thereto so that said scooper or spoon is removablymagnetically affixed to said lid just below an inside surface of saidlid when said lid affixed to said container, said magnets above andbelow said lid being magnetically aligned with each other tomagnetically attract and keep said spoon affixed to said handle and saidlid.